Remarks on the lunacy laws, as also asylums, of Scotland and France / by John Webster.

  • Webster, John, 1795-1876.
Date:
1856
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Remarks on the lunacy laws, as also asylums, of Scotland and France / by John Webster. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

    1/16
    With the Author's Coinpliments.l REMARKS THE LUNACY LAWS, AS ALSO ASYLUMS, OF ScoiIan(> ant> France, By JOHN WEBSTER, M.D., E.R.S., & E.R.C.P. PHYSICIAN TO THE SCOTTISH HOSPITAL. Reprinted from the “ Psychological Journal'' 1. Lunacy Laws in Scotland.—In former numbers of the “ Psychological Journal ” I communicated an account of various visits made to public asylums for the insane in France, which were repeated during subsequent years, although not published, from entertaining the opinion that, any additional data then collected would have too much resembled previous statements, to make them sufficiently interesting. Last autumn my sphere of observation was changed. Then I visited Scotland, in order to inspect different institutions for lunatics in that part of the Empire : as. well to obtain correct information respecting their organization and management, as also to compare these national establishments with asylums of other countries. Believing an outline of my proceedings might prove acceptable, I would therefore remark that, six public institutions Avere examined,—namely, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Perth, Dundee, Montrose, and Aberdeen ; upon each of which I propose giving a brief notice, wherein it will be my object to detail facts, rather than to enunciate opinions, so that readers shall thereby be enabled to form their own conclusions, regarding the different establishments thus brought under review. However, instead of now adverting to any of the institutions above mentioned, some notice of the laws applicable to lunatics in North Britain will likely seem more appropriate, especially to members of the medical profession resident in England : many of whom, perhaps, may not be fully cognizant of the legal enactments respecting insane persons, and the administration of asylums throughout Scotland. With the vieAV of enabling psychological jurists to study this im- A N